Saudi Arabia not to move jet fighters from base close to the Israeli border

Published September 4th, 2003 - 02:00 GMT

Saudi Arabia will not respond to any pressure to withdraw its jet fighters from Tabuk military base in the north west of the kingdom, Assistant Minist

Saudi Arabia will not respond to any pressure to withdraw its jet fighters from Tabuk military base in the north west of the kingdom, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation Prince Khaled Bin Sultan was quoted as saying on Thursday.

Interviewed by the Saudi Ukaz newspaper, Prince Khaled denied what was reported by Israel's Army Radio that the US pressured Saudi Arabia to withdraw F-16 Saudi jets deployed at Tabuk air base, near the southern Israeli city of Eilat.

Prince Khaled clarified that Saudi Arabia did not own F-16 jets but F-15 fighter jets and the US did not discuss such an issue.